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PWD Development Services Newsletter June 2024
Celebrating PWD’s 2024 Stormwater Pioneers awardees
On April 25—during Earth Week—Development Services recognized two privately owned properties for their stormwater management retrofit projects, bestowing on each its Stormwater Pioneers award. Stormwater Pioneers is an annual award that salutes innovation and excellence in stormwater management; this year, both Pioneers projects were made possible with the assistance of PWD grant funds.
To learn more about the 2024 winners Awbury Arboretum and Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (PFCU), and their projects, see PWD’s recent post about the awards event.
Considering a voluntary retrofit for your property? Information about the process and requirements can be found on our Stormwater Grants webpage.
New! Development Services’ FAQs page
Development Services is pleased to announce its just-published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpage. This list was informed by various inquiries staff have received over the last several years and represents scenarios frequently encountered by developers.
These FAQs are not comprehensive, of course. If you have a question or would like to discuss a situation that is not addressed here, as always, please email PWD_DevServices@phila.gov or call 215-685-0798.
Project Meetings in PERSON starting July 15, 2024
The Parker Administration recently announced that all City workers will transition to full-time, in-office work effective July 15, 2024. To align with this mandate, the Development Services Unit will no longer offer virtual project meetings. After this date, all project-based meetings will be held in person at PWD headquarters, located at 1101 Market Street. Requests for virtual meetings will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Click here to request a development project meeting.
New! Review Timelines webpage
PWD serves as a prerequisite review for various permits issued by Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). The new Review Timelines resource guides applicants in navigating PWD’s prerequisite reviews for zoning, building, demolition, site/utility, and other permits.
The Review Timelines webpage converts and updates a prior static fact sheet to a dynamic web-based resource. This resource provides applicants with the Development Services’ current average review times for plan approvals, review requirements, and a quick guide to Water and Sewer Connection Permits.
Click here to access the new Review Times resource, which is also linked at Development Services’ main page.
Philadelphia C-PACE Expands to Include Stormwater Projects
In case you missed it: in 2022, Philadelphia’s C-PACE program was expanded to include resiliency projects that may now contain stormwater management components—under certain circumstances. More information about the Philadelphia C-PACE program and how it relates to stormwater management can be accessed through the Development Services’ Development Incentives webpage.
Reminder: CO Holds Policy and FAQs
PWD’s current policy concerning Certificate of Occupancy (CO) holds in the L&I eCLIPSE application went into effect on August 1, 2023. The Final CO will not be issued by L&I until PWD’s hold has been resolved. Development projects subject to PWD’s stormwater regulations must satisfy all Department requirements by close of construction. These requirements include, though are not limited to, the settlement of all outstanding review fees, the resolution of any construction violations, and the submission and acceptance of a compliant project Record Drawing.
To review the policy and related FAQs, visit PWD’s Certificate of Occupancy Hold Policy webpage.
Reminder: Final Inspection Request Form
As noted in our February newsletter, all requests for a development project’s final inspection are now submitted online. Requesting a final inspection requires a project engineer’s confirmation that all prerequisite site preparations and closeout documentation have been fully addressed, including the submission of a Record Drawing.
To access Development Services’ Final Inspection Request form, click here. Any questions about the process should be sent to PWD_DevServices@phila.gov.
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Development Services Unit Updates
Announcing Stormwater Management Guidance Manual v 3.3!
Coming later this summer (Target Date: June 30, 2023): New updates to Philadelphia’s Stormwater Management Guidance Manual!
As you may be aware, the Manual serves as the design guide for the installation of stormwater management practices (SMPs) through the PWD Stormwater Regulations and Grants Program. Manual v 3.3 will follow the same format as Manual v 3.2. No changes to PWD Stormwater Regulations are proposed with this Manual update. Instead, with our soon-to-be released Manual updates, users can expect:
- New climate-change adaptation considerations
- Streamlined Channel Protection and Flood Control requirements for regulated projects that directly discharge to the Schuylkill River and its tributaries
- Option to utilize Dynamic Design in the sizing of bioinfiltration SMPs
- Addition of new PWD Design Storm rainfall distribution requirement for Water Quality compliance analysis
- Enhanced landscape guidance, including new Manual Section 4.13 and new Appendix Section F.19
- Clarifications of the Inspection and Enforcement processes
- Continued refinement of SMP Design and Material Standards and Standard Details
- Explicit Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Agreement and SMP Maintenance Guide requirements
- Expanded guidance around demolition and construction activities
Additionally, along with the introduction of the Manual’s revised sections, the document itself will have a new home within PWD’s steadily expanding Development Services website (link directly below). Meanwhile, our Plan Review submittal site and Project Dashboard will continue to reside at planreview.org.
So, mark your calendars for June 30th — Improvements are on the horizon!
Reminder! Updated UPR Checklist
The Development Services Unit would like to remind applicants about its updated Utility Plan Review (UPR) Checklist, introduced March 8, 2023.
Applicants should ensure they provide the following on their Utility Plan submissions:
- UPR Tracking #
- The size of the water/sewer system the utility will connect to (in the List of Utility Connections)
These requirements and all other updates can be found in the revised Utility Plan Checklist (link directly below).